R.E.M. - "Collapse Into Now"

[dtram]

Lots of other cool stuff on there. Thanks for that link.

 

I know. Who would have thought a Morrisey board would be a treaure trove of R.E.M. stuff. I have a PM into the guy who remixed those HiFi tracks about Undertow; if I get a clean copy I'll let you know.

 

Also, if you find a working link to Free Form Jazz Jam, a song that was on the orginal Reveal but left off, please let me know. I can't find this anywhere.

[u2roolz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuvi7AUfZPo&feature=player_embedded#

 

Did you know: Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) is an inherited metabolic disorder that, if untreated, causes mental retardation, physical disabilities and death. First described as a disease in 1954, it is a rare disorder, believed to be in all ethnic groups worldwide. The national incidence is 1 in 225,000 births. MSUD derives its name from the sweet, burnt sugar, or maple syrup smell of the urine. The disorder affects the way the body metabolizes (processes) certain components of protein.

 

Honestly, that crossed my mind when I read the title of this song from a few months ago.

Do you really think his

farts

smell like honey?

[dtram]

Way to get the thread back on topic.

[auctioneer69]

Hmm. I was going to post that it's ironic that auctioneer thought that the live versions blew away the "studio" versions, when in fact these "studio" versions were done live or at soundcheck (like dtram mentioned) and the audience noise was stripped away. R.E.M. didn't fool anyone here. These definitely sound different than the studio tracks on New Adventures, so I agree with dtram on his thoughts about this record's sound. I think even The Wake Up Bomb was done at a soundcheck. That being said why are people downloading these fan remixed tracks when they can get the live B-sides of the same songs, but not the same session? (edit: downloading that now. Hmm. Bittersweet Me stripped down to acoustic? This should be interesting.)

 

And you can even hear some audience noise at the end of Undertow.

 

Oh, and don't forget about Revolution that was on the Batman & Robin soundtrack. That also sounded weird hearing it in the movie because it sounded live. I guess the smartass wish would be instead of live b-sides how about actual studio takes of these songs.

 

This is like an R.E.M. anoraks convention. Yes, I do know the history of the making of "NAIHF". The live versions are different from the record versions beyond the removal of the crowd noise. Take "Undertow" - less feedback. Like "Binky The Doormat" - the keyboards/organ on the live version have been mixed way down in the album version.

 

Tut, tut - to think you were going to teach me something about REM I didn't know

[dtram]

This is like an R.E.M. anoraks convention. Yes, I do know the history of the making of "NAIHF". The live versions are different from the record versions beyond the removal of the crowd noise. Take "Undertow" - less feedback. Like "Binky The Doormat" - the keyboards/organ on the live version have been mixed way down in the album version.

 

Tut, tut - to think you were going to teach me something about REM I didn't know

What's an anorak? I figured with a name like auctioneer you knew the history, just thought you got confused on which tracks were studio. I never really listen much to those versions because Binky and wake up bomb aren't favs and and I don't like how stipe sung undertow on the 2nd U.S. leg. I'm gonna really geek out here. I saw them 4 times in June '95, Pittsburgh and all three MSG shows. By the 4th MSG show undertow was my new favorIte song of all time as they had played it at all 4 shows. Then there was that Milton Keynes show broadcast in July and I had a clean copy and played the shit out of it. I then saw them 6 times on the fall leg and stipe changed the way he sang it. The first way he sang it, he sang I'm drowning leave me, I'm drowning, leave meeeeeeeeeeeee. By the fall leg, he just sang I'm drowning, leave me, I'm drowning, leave me without that big meeeeeeeeeeeee on the end and it just took a lot of the emotion out of the song. I have no idea why he changed it and would love to know but to me, that one difference totally changed the song. I was relieved when hifi came out and they used the version from Boston in June.

 

I still have fond memories of that fall leg, getting hot java every night and departure as the last song before end of the world and singing along with everyone around me probably wondering how I knew the words, good times.

 

Like i said, sorry for the geek out, sitting with a kid as he watches wonder pets and not much else to do.

[auctioneer69]

What's an anorak? I figured with a name like auctioneer you knew the history, just thought you got confused on which tracks were studio. I never really listen much to those versions because Binky and wake up bomb aren't favs and and I don't like how stipe sung undertow on the 2nd U.S. leg. I'm gonna really geek out here. I saw them 4 times in June '95, Pittsburgh and all three MSG shows. By the 4th MSG show undertow was my new favorIte song of all time as they had played it at all 4 shows. Then there was that Milton Keynes show broadcast in July and I had a clean copy and played the shit out of it. I then saw them 6 times on the fall leg and stipe changed the way he sang it. The first way he sang it, he sang I'm drowning leave me, I'm drowning, leave meeeeeeeeeeeee. By the fall leg, he just sang I'm drowning, leave me, I'm drowning, leave me without that big meeeeeeeeeeeee on the end and it just took a lot of the emotion out of the song. I have no idea why he changed it and would love to know but to me, that one difference totally changed the song. I was relieved when hifi came out and they used the version from Boston in June.

 

I still have fond memories of that fall leg, getting hot java every night and departure as the last song before end of the world and singing along with everyone around me probably wondering how I knew the words, good times.

 

Like i said, sorry for the geek out, sitting with a kid as he watches wonder pets and not much else to do.

 

 

I was just joshing. "Anorak" - is a British term for an obsessive fan taken I think from people who are literally train-spotters. Jealous of your experience in '95 when I didn't see any shows. Too bad they aren't touring this year.

[dtram]

I was just joshing. "Anorak" - is a British term for an obsessive fan taken I think from people who are literally train-spotters. Jealous of your experience in '95 when I didn't see any shows. Too bad they aren't touring this year.

Figured something like that. The '95 tour, while not their best, was definitely fun and the fact that it was bb's last makes me glad i saw as many as i did. Im sort of ambivalent about them not touring this time. I've seen them so much and with 2 young kids, i don't need the temptation of seeing a bunch of shows. The 3 evening with wilco shows last year were enough. However, the 5 tunes from CIN have gotten me as pumped about rem as I've been in a long time so some shows would be fun.

[dtram]

Discoverer live in the studio on Rolling Stone. This verison beats the album IMO.

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/rolling-stone-video-blog/exclusive-r-e-m-strips-down-in-powerful-new-video-for-discoverer-20110203

[remphish1]

What's an anorak? I figured with a name like auctioneer you knew the history, just thought you got confused on which tracks were studio. I never really listen much to those versions because Binky and wake up bomb aren't favs and and I don't like how stipe sung undertow on the 2nd U.S. leg. I'm gonna really geek out here. I saw them 4 times in June '95, Pittsburgh and all three MSG shows. By the 4th MSG show undertow was my new favorIte song of all time as they had played it at all 4 shows. Then there was that Milton Keynes show broadcast in July and I had a clean copy and played the shit out of it. I then saw them 6 times on the fall leg and stipe changed the way he sang it. The first way he sang it, he sang I'm drowning leave me, I'm drowning, leave meeeeeeeeeeeee. By the fall leg, he just sang I'm drowning, leave me, I'm drowning, leave me without that big meeeeeeeeeeeee on the end and it just took a lot of the emotion out of the song. I have no idea why he changed it and would love to know but to me, that one difference totally changed the song. I was relieved when hifi came out and they used the version from Boston in June.

 

I still have fond memories of that fall leg, getting hot java every night and departure as the last song before end of the world and singing along with everyone around me probably wondering how I knew the words, good times.

 

Like i said, sorry for the geek out, sitting with a kid as he watches wonder pets and not much else to do.

 

Sweet...you were at my first REM show June 23, 1995 MSG!

[dtram]

Sweet...you were at my first REM show June 23, 1995 MSG!

 

Which one was that, Thursday, Friday or Sat? That would mean you were at 4th 5th or 6th show

[auctioneer69]

Discoverer live in the studio on Rolling Stone. This verison beats the album IMO.

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/rolling-stone-video-blog/exclusive-r-e-m-strips-down-in-powerful-new-video-for-discoverer-20110203

 

Agreed. Really good version - shame there is no tour - close your ears and you have the opening song of a set.

[jimtweedy1977]

The songs that I have heard from this album remind me of '90's R.E.M. I was honestly underwhelmed by Accelerate and enjoyed the versions from that album that appeared on Live At The Olympia, although Accelerate was still miles ahead better than Around The Sun. I wouldn't mind seeing them again on tour as it's been 12 years since I saw them last.

[dtram]

Agreed. Really good version - shame there is no tour - close your ears and you have the opening song of a set.

Yeah, they're missing an opportunity by not touring.

[auctioneer69]

The songs that I have heard from this album remind me of '90's R.E.M. I was honestly underwhelmed by Accelerate and enjoyed the versions from that album that appeared on Live At The Olympia, although Accelerate was still miles ahead better than Around The Sun. I wouldn't mind seeing them again on tour as it's been 12 years since I saw them last.

 

To me it's strange that they aren't touring this album. I wonder if this and the fact that this is the last record for Warners Brothers are connected. Are they concerned the promotion and support of the album by WB is going to be be poor so why tour? I dunno.

 

In any case as a fan I am disappointed. They did an extensive tour in 2008 but that was three years ago. Seems like R.E.M. had become a very part-time thing for the members. Or maybe this might be their last record period and they might just do one more tour next year if they feel up for it.

[dtram]

Seems like R.E.M. had become a very part-time thing for the members. Or maybe this might be their last record period and they might just do one more tour next year if they feel up for it.

Thats the accusation that's being most often hurled at them lately. They've pretty much been on the album every 3 years cycle since '98. I'm sure they feel that at this point in time, the world doesn't need a new R.E.M. record every year. Peter has all of his side projects that quell his ADD to be playing all of the time, Stipe has his myriad of other interests and it seems that Mills enjoys playing golf and becoming an elder statesman of music. To that point, the social circuit page of the Phila Inquirer had a small article and a page of pictures from the white tie ball for the Academy of Music that Paul Simon headlined last week. I'm looking at the pic below and am thinking, holy shit, that looks like Mike Mills. Well, what do you know:

 

I've found it interesting that Stipe or Mills has never done a solo record. It seems to me that they use R.E.M. as their musical release and have other interests the rest of the time and Buck just loves to play; he can come back to R.E.M. when they are ready and his other projects satisfy him, maybe more than R.E.M. does these days since an R.E.M. record is such a production with the whole album cycle thing. My guess is the no tour was not his idea but Michael's. Having seen the Accelerate tour from the 4th row, he never stopped moving. He probably felt like taking this one off. They have toured a lot in the last 10 years. Or, my analysis could be BS and they are breaking up, time will tell.

[remphish1]

Which one was that, Thursday, Friday or Sat? That would mean you were at 4th 5th or 6th show

Friday show!

[u2roolz]

I think I have one of those June 95 NYC MSG shows on vhs tape. Some guy out of NYC used to tape all of the shows in the area and posted ads in Goldmine under Living After Midnite.

I met the guy in person at the old Hartford, CT record shows and he looks like a redheaded Inspector Clouseau when he tries to pull Dreyfus' teeth in The Pink Panther Strikes Again.

Uncanny. I'll try to dig that video up somewhere. Although, I'm sure that folks might have it around here.

 

Edit: Well, I seem to remember that it has Near Wild Heaven. I don't think I have that amazing R.E.M. link with all of their setlists to find out which show.

 

Edit Part Two: OK. The R.E.M. Timeline shows that it was the show on the 24th a.k.a. the last night.

[dtram]

I think I have one of those June 95 NYC MSG shows on vhs tape. Some guy out of NYC used to tape all of the shows in the area and posted ads in Goldmine under Living After Midnite.

I met the guy in person at the old Hartford, CT record shows and he looks like a redheaded Inspector Clouseau when he tries to pull Dreyfus' teeth in The Pink Panther Strikes Again.

Uncanny. I'll try to dig that video up somewhere. Although, I'm sure that folks might have it around here.

 

Edit: Well, I seem to remember that it has Near Wild Heaven. I don't think I have that amazing R.E.M. link with all of their setlists to find out which show.

 

Edit Part Two: OK. The R.E.M. Timeline shows that it was the show on the 24th a.k.a. the last night.

Probably my favorite of the run because they played heron house and i was just the right amount drunk. Thanks to lax MSG security, we were able to convert our 300 Level behind the stage seats to 100 level basically at center ice. Apparently stipe joined opener luscious Jackson at the end of their set wearing a big Afro wig and sang elo's evil woman. Missed it because we were still at the old blarney stone on 32nd, my old fave pre msg show hang out.

[dtram]

Cool Rolling Stone write up by David Fricke:

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/r-e-m-roar-back-with-collapse-into-now-20110207

 

Buck calls it the best thing they've ever done, I believe we've heard that before so we'll see.

 

Also, you can download the individual tracks to It Happened Today and mix them however you like and then submit them. Haven't done it yet, sounds pretty cool though.

 

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1293

[GtrPlyr]

Buck calls it the best thing they've ever done, I believe we've heard that before so we'll see.

A very common refrain indeed, almost every band thinks their latest work is their best. This is why they need producers in the studio because they don't have a good perspective on what's good or bad when it comes to their own stuff.

[wheelco]

well, as with every REM album since 1983, I will buy it when it comes out

 

semi-looking forward to it, hope Peter is right

[SunkenKamera]

link

Here's a ~10 min long video interview with the band about the new record.

[Analogman]

R.E.M. Bassist: Touring Behind New Album 'Just Doesn't Feel Right'

 

 

After making a "statement" with 2008's rocking "Accelerate," R.E.M. had broader designs for its 15th studio album, "Collapse Into Now."

 

"With 'Accelerate' we sort of made a statement record -- everything short, fast and loud -- and on this one we just wanted any good songs, regardless of the type or the tempo," bassist Mike Mills tells Billboard.com. "What we like to do when possible is have a nice diversity, and this has that. It's got some serious rockers. It's got some beautiful slow stuff, and it's got some of that nice, mid-ballad stuff we do so well. We felt free to make 'Collapse Into Now' into whatever record it needed to be."

 

R.E.M. demoed the 12-song set, due out March 8, in March of 2009 in Portland and began recording in November of 2010, working with co-producer Jacknife Lee at studios in Berlin, New Orleans and Nashville. What did carry over from "Accelerate," Mills says, was a spirit of economy in the songs and their arrangements, "the idea of only using what the songs really need. We were still stripping away stuff, but we weren't paring it to the bone like we did with 'Accelerate.' It was, 'Whatever the songs need and take off anything that's not vital to them.' "

 

"Collapse Into Now" features a number of guests, including Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, who sang on "It Happened Today" after his band performed in Berlin; the Hidden Cameras' Joel Gibb, also on "It Happened Today;" Berlin resident Peaches and Patti Smith Band guitarist Lenny Kaye on "Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter;" and Smith herself on the album-closing tone poem "Blue," which Mills says "was the biggest surprise of the bunch."

 

"We were getting near the end of the Berlin sessions," he recalls, "and Peter [buck] said, 'I have this song. Let's record it'...and we went in and played through it with no rehearsal. I didn't even know what the chords were. But I didn't really think it was a candidate for the record unless something special happened. Then we got to Nashville and Michael [stipe] had this spoken-word thing on it, and we said, 'That's cool. That's starting to sound a little more special.' Then we got Patti to sing on it, and by that time we said, 'Wow, we've got a pretty nice song here.' "

 

After extensive touring behind "Accelerate," however, R.E.M. isn't planning to hit the road for "Collapse Into Now." "It just doesn't feel right," he explains. "We've always gone with our gut instinct on everything, and right now it just didn't feel like touring was the thing we needed to do." He says that "might or might not" hasten R.E.M.'s next album, especially since there's a substantial number of songs and ideas still around that did not make it on "Collapse Into Now."

 

"You always think you might resurrect them somewhere, but very often they just sit there," Mills notes. "They just had their chance, and they never quite came to fruition. Once you've shifted your focus from that record onto something else, it's kind of hard to revisit things."

 

"Collapse Into Now" also marks the end of R.E.M.'s deal with Warner Bros., but Mills says nothing has been determined about the group's future yet. "We'll sit down sometime in the next few months and decide what we're going to do," he says. "There are a lot of options. We'll just have to assess how we feel and what we want to do." He does, however, expect to see a 25th anniversary edition of "Lifes Rich Pageant" this year, featuring "a lot of demos, some of which I think are actually better than the songs on the record."

[SunkenKamera]

Link

 

NPR is having a listening party on Tuesday (3/1) and they'll be streaming the album starting Wednesday.

 

Also, 'Chorus and the Ring' is the best song off Reveal.

[auctioneer69]

Link

 

NPR is having a listening party on Tuesday (3/1) and they'll be streaming the album starting Wednesday.

 

Also, 'Chorus and the Ring' is the best song off Reveal.

 

 

You can go to I-Tunes (in the States at least) and preview all the songs. Can't wait for it to come out. Based on these clips and the 5 full songs that I have heard this is going to be a really enjoyable album. I don't think it'll be ranked amongst the very top tier of their catalogue but there's lot of melody and energy to enjoy. To bad they aren't touring.